St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-13
POLICE FORCE.


I refer with pride to the present police force
Of the city, and take pleasure in stating that
in my opinion it has no superior in the
United States as regards efficiency and disci-
pine. 1t is naturally department against
which the most vigorous kicking is done in
all municipalities on account of the enforce
| meut of laws against offenders. The fact
exists that drunken men. thieves robbers
burglars, highwaymen and other offenders
against the peace and dignity of a community
always think they are abused when their
avocations are interfered with. Never in the
| history of this city has there been shown a
better record than that made by the police
force during the past year. AT the last meet
ing of the legislature a few meddlesome
fanatics from this city, backed by the pur-
tan1cal majority of that body, succeeded in
thwartng the will of the people and deprived
the mayor Of his control of the police force
and placed the same in charge of a police
commission. To this body you will hereafter
have to look for the management of this i'm
portaEt branch of the city government. 1
desire in this public manner to return to the
officers and men of the old police force my
sincere thanks for the prompt, fearless and
| unf1inching observance of all orders given to
them, and for the courtesy universally shown
the public. respectfully call your atten-
ton TO the able report of the chief of police,
and recommend that the same be referred to
the police commission.
The mayor censures the city attorney for
looseness in leaving the records of his Office
in unsatisfactory condition, and recommends
| that hereafter that officer be required to pre-
sent tabulated reports as is the case with
other city officers. The chief of the fire de-
partment is paid high compliment and the
department. itself dweled upon with pride.
The following are made as
RECOMMENDATIONS.
! desire to bring to the notice of YOUR hon.
orable body the faulty condition of existing
ordinances. A compilation was attempted a
few years ago. but II was a lamentable failure.
There are at present so many conflicting ordi-
nanceS that justice cannot be established eX-
cept through common law, and there is no
officer who can with certainty state what the
law is on any question. Recommend that all
the ordinances except those containing vested
rights be repealed, and that new ones, con-
tanning plain English and Invested of legal
verbiage, be enacted in their stead. 1t is
well established rule OF court that ignorance
of a law is no excuse for an offender. This
being the case, in my opinion all laws should
be so framed and worded that the humblest
citizen might be able to read and understand
them.
The mayor also recommends that steps be
taken to prevent so many useless suits for
injuries from defective sidewalks and further
recommends that the license of pawnbrokers
be fixed at $500, and that each be required to
give bond in the sum of $1,000. the same to
be forfeited whenever it is proven that his
place is used for fence for thieves or for
the violation of any ordinance of the city reg
ulating the business of pawnbroker
BETHANY HOME.
At the recent session of the legislature
law was enacted authorizing the city council
of this city to appropriate monthly sum not
exceeding So00 to private reformatory and